Latest news with #Klain
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Biden's White House chief of staff made all the ‘big decisions,' was nicknamed ‘Prime Minister': book
Former President Joe Biden's White House chief of staff was referred to as 'the Prime Minister' in the administration because he was the one making the 'big decisions,' according to a bombshell book. Jake Tapper of CNN and Alex Thompson of Axios share damning revelations about the alleged cover up of Biden's mental and physical decline in the book Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, out today. Ron Klain, who served as Biden's chief of staff from the start of his term until February 2023, was thought of as having 'Prime Minister' status by people inside the administration because the president was so 'limited', according to Thompson. Speaking to TIME, Thompson was asked about insiders referring 'to Ron Klain as the Prime Minister.' 'When you have a President whose energy is limited, whose time is limited, whose bandwidth is limited, then a lot of decision making filters down,' Thompson responded. 'And there were big decisions being made that people who had served in previous administrations and were surprised that Joe Biden was not involved in.' Thompson added that one Cabinet member, who is not identified, told the authors: 'The President is making the decisions, but if you present the decisions in a certain way, often it's not really a decision.' Klain was 'disappointed' in Biden's lack of preparation for the disastrous debate against Donald Trump on June 27. 'He'd been assured that Biden had been reviewing his prep materials before he arrived at Camp David, but he hadn't,' the authors write. In another book on Biden's decline released last month by reporter Chris Whipple, Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History, Klain was said to be 'startled' by the president's demeanor during debate prep at Camp David. 'He'd never seen him so exhausted and out of it,' The Guardian reported. 'Biden was unaware of what was happening in his own campaign. Halfway through the session, the president excused himself and went off to sit by the pool.' 'The president was fatigued, befuddled, and disengaged,' Whipple writes in the book. 'Klain feared the debate with Trump would be a nationally televised disaster.' Klain later told Politico that the 'framing' of his comments in the report was 'wrong.' Despite his previous remarks about the former president, responding to Thompson and Tapper's latest book, Klain said that he still believed that Biden should not have dropped out of the race. 'We are all in decline. But the president was mentally sharp and capable of serving,' Klain told The Guardian. 'I think his press conference after the Nato meeting in July proved that.' The book's release comes just two days after Biden revealed he has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. In response to claims made in the book, Biden's spokesperson Chris Meagher said that his team was 'still waiting for someone, anyone, to point out where Joe Biden had to make a presidential decision or make a presidential address where he was unable to do his job because of mental decline.' 'In fact, the evidence points to the opposite — he was a very effective president,' Meagher added.
Sky News AU
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Book reveals Joe Biden advisors declined to have president take a cognitive test in February 2024: report
A new book revealed that former President Joe Biden's team chose not to have the president take a cognitive test in February 2024, over concerns that taking the test itself would raise more questions about his age, The New York Times reported Sunday. Authors Tyler Pager, a reporter for The New York Times, Josh Dawsey, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Isaac Arnsdorf, a reporter for the Washington Post, wrote the book, titled, "2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America," which is set to be released in July. The book, one of several about the tumultuous 2024 presidential election, details that Biden's top aides debated having him complete a cognitive test to quell concerns about his age. The aides were reportedly confident Biden would pass the test. "At the same time, Mr. Biden's longtime doctor, Kevin O'Connor, had told aides he would not take the 81-year-old president's political standing into consideration when treating him," the Times reported, citing the book. The debate over whether the president should take the test occurred in February 2024, several months before the June debate against President Donald Trump, and just a couple of weeks before Biden's White House physical exam, the Times reported. It was the same month that Special Counsel Robert Hur's report about the former president's mishandling of classified documents was released. The special counsel described Biden as "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." The NYT report also described a conversation from the new book between former Biden chief of staff Ron Klain and former Obama aide and frequent CNN guest, David Axelrod. Klain, according to NYT, called Axelrod following a Times report from June 2022 that quoted Axelrod saying, "The stark reality is the president would be closer to 90 than 80 at the end of a second term, and that would be a major issue." "That comment prompted an angry call to Mr. Axelrod from Ron Klain, then Mr. Biden's chief of staff, according to the book. Mr. Klain wanted to know why Mr. Axelrod was fueling doubts about a Democratic president who was on track to begin a re-election campaign," the NYT reported. "There's no Obama out there, Axe," Klain said during the call, according to the Times. "Who's going to do it if he doesn't do it?" Another new book about the 2024 campaign revealed that Klain said Biden was "fatigued, befuddled and disengaged" before his debate with Trump in June. Klain helped Biden prepare for the debate after exiting his White House role. "At his first meeting with Biden in Aspen Lodge, the president's cabin," author Chris Whipple wrote, Klain "was startled. He'd never seen him so exhausted and out of it. Biden was unaware of what was happening in his own campaign. Halfway through the session, the president excused himself and went off to sit by the pool." Whipple's book, "Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History," was released in April. A representative for Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Originally published as Book reveals Joe Biden advisors declined to have president take a cognitive test in February 2024: report
New York Post
04-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Biden's team debated making him take a cognitive test months before dropping out of 2024 race: book
A new book revealed that former President Joe Biden's team chose not to have the president take a cognitive test in February 2024, over concerns that taking the test itself would raise more questions about his age, The New York Times reported Sunday. Authors Tyler Pager, a reporter for The New York Times, Josh Dawsey, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Isaac Arnsdorf, a reporter for the Washington Post, wrote the book, titled, '2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America,' which is set to be released in July. Advertisement The book, one of several about the tumultuous 2024 presidential election, details that Biden's top aides debated having him complete a cognitive test to quell concerns about his age. The aides were reportedly confident Biden would pass the test. 'At the same time, Mr. Biden's longtime doctor, Kevin O'Connor, had told aides he would not take the 81-year-old president's political standing into consideration when treating him,' the Times reported, citing the book. The debate over whether the president should take the test occurred in February 2024, several months before the June debate against President Donald Trump, and just a couple of weeks before Biden's White House physical exam, the Times reported. Advertisement It was the same month that Special Counsel Robert Hur's report about the former president's mishandling of classified documents was released. According to a new book, aides to former President Biden decided not to have him complete a cognitive test in February 2024. Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images The special counsel described Biden as 'a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.' The NYT report also described a conversation from the new book between former Biden chief of staff Ron Klain and former Obama aide and frequent CNN guest, David Axelrod. Advertisement Klain, according to NYT, called Axelrod following a Times report from June 2022 that quoted Axelrod saying, 'The stark reality is the president would be closer to 90 than 80 at the end of a second term, and that would be a major issue.' 'That comment prompted an angry call to Mr. Axelrod from Ron Klain, then Mr. Biden's chief of staff, according to the book. Mr. Klain wanted to know why Mr. Axelrod was fueling doubts about a Democratic president who was on track to begin a re-election campaign,' the NYT reported. 'There's no Obama out there, Axe,' Klain said during the call, according to the Times. 'Who's going to do it if he doesn't do it?' Advertisement Another new book about the 2024 campaign revealed that Klain said Biden was 'fatigued, befuddled and disengaged' before his debate with Trump in June. Klain helped Biden prepare for the debate after exiting his White House role. 'At his first meeting with Biden in Aspen Lodge, the president's cabin,' author Chris Whipple wrote, Klain 'was startled. He'd never seen him so exhausted and out of it. Biden was unaware of what was happening in his own campaign. Halfway through the session, the president excused himself and went off to sit by the pool.' Biden's former chief of staff Ron Klain said that the president was 'fatigued, befuddled and disengaged' before the infamous July debate, according to another book. EPA/Al Drago / POOL Whipple's book, 'Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History,' was released in April. A representative for Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Book reveals Biden advisors declined to have president take a cognitive test in February 2024: Report
A new book revealed that former President Joe Biden's team chose not to have the president take a cognitive test in February 2024, over concerns that taking the test itself would raise more questions about his age, The New York Times reported Sunday. Authors Tyler Pager, a reporter for The New York Times, Josh Dawsey, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Isaac Arnsdorf, a reporter for the Washington Post, wrote the book, titled, "2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America," which is set to be released in July. The book, one of several about the tumultuous 2024 presidential election, details that Biden's top aides debated having him complete a cognitive test to quell concerns about his age. The aides were reportedly confident Biden would pass the test. "At the same time, Mr. Biden's longtime doctor, Kevin O'Connor, had told aides he would not take the 81-year-old president's political standing into consideration when treating him," the Times reported, citing the book. Former Cnn Analyst Says Media Turned Blind Eye To Biden's Alleged Decline Because Most 'Vote For Democrats' The debate over whether the president should take the test occurred in February 2024, several months before the June debate against President Donald Trump, and just a couple of weeks before Biden's White House physical exam, the Times reported. Read On The Fox News App It was the same month that Special Counsel Robert Hur's report about the former president's mishandling of classified documents was released. The special counsel described Biden as "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." The NYT report also described a conversation from the new book between former Biden chief of staff Ron Klain and former Obama aide and frequent CNN guest, David Axelrod. Klain, according to NYT, called Axelrod following a Times report from June 2022 that quoted Axelrod saying, "The stark reality is the president would be closer to 90 than 80 at the end of a second term, and that would be a major issue." "That comment prompted an angry call to Mr. Axelrod from Ron Klain, then Mr. Biden's chief of staff, according to the book. Mr. Klain wanted to know why Mr. Axelrod was fueling doubts about a Democratic president who was on track to begin a re-election campaign," the NYT reported. Nancy Pelosi Urged Biden Not To Debate Trump In A Play To His Ego, Book Says Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture "There's no Obama out there, Axe," Klain said during the call, according to the Times. "Who's going to do it if he doesn't do it?" Another new book about the 2024 campaign revealed that Klain said Biden was "fatigued, befuddled and disengaged" before his debate with Trump in June. Klain helped Biden prepare for the debate after exiting his White House role. "At his first meeting with Biden in Aspen Lodge, the president's cabin," author Chris Whipple wrote, Klain "was startled. He'd never seen him so exhausted and out of it. Biden was unaware of what was happening in his own campaign. Halfway through the session, the president excused himself and went off to sit by the pool." Whipple's book, "Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History," was released in April. A representative for Biden did not immediately respond to a request for article source: Book reveals Biden advisors declined to have president take a cognitive test in February 2024: Report
Fox News
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Book reveals Biden advisors declined to have president take a cognitive test in February 2024: Report
A new book revealed that former President Joe Biden's team chose not to have the president take a cognitive test in February 2024, over concerns that taking the test itself would raise more questions about his age, The New York Times reported Sunday. Authors Tyler Pager, a reporter for The New York Times, Josh Dawsey, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and Isaac Arnsdorf, a reporter for the Washington Post, wrote the book, titled, "2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America," which is set to be released in July. The book, one of several about the tumultuous 2024 presidential election, details that Biden's top aides debated having him complete a cognitive test to quell concerns about his age. The aides were reportedly confident Biden would pass the test. "At the same time, Mr. Biden's longtime doctor, Kevin O'Connor, had told aides he would not take the 81-year-old president's political standing into consideration when treating him," the Times reported, citing the book. The debate over whether the president should take the test occurred in February 2024, several months before the June debate against President Donald Trump, and just a couple of weeks before Biden's White House physical exam, the Times reported. It was the same month that Special Counsel Robert Hur's report about the former president's mishandling of classified documents was released. The special counsel described Biden as "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." The NYT report also described a conversation from the new book between former Biden chief of staff Ron Klain and former Obama aide and frequent CNN guest, David Axelrod. Klain, according to NYT, called Axelrod following a Times report from June 2022 that quoted Axelrod saying, "The stark reality is the president would be closer to 90 than 80 at the end of a second term, and that would be a major issue." "That comment prompted an angry call to Mr. Axelrod from Ron Klain, then Mr. Biden's chief of staff, according to the book. Mr. Klain wanted to know why Mr. Axelrod was fueling doubts about a Democratic president who was on track to begin a re-election campaign," the NYT reported. "There's no Obama out there, Axe," Klain said during the call, according to the Times. "Who's going to do it if he doesn't do it?" Another new book about the 2024 campaign revealed that Klain said Biden was "fatigued, befuddled and disengaged" before his debate with Trump in June. Klain helped Biden prepare for the debate after exiting his White House role. "At his first meeting with Biden in Aspen Lodge, the president's cabin," author Chris Whipple wrote, Klain "was startled. He'd never seen him so exhausted and out of it. Biden was unaware of what was happening in his own campaign. Halfway through the session, the president excused himself and went off to sit by the pool." Whipple's book, "Uncharted: How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History," was released in April. A representative for Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
